Pot Holders Galore Crochet Along 2022: Main Page

Hi guys! The weather is getting warmer, so I’ve put my blankets on hold, and picked up some cotton yarn. A few weeks ago, I learned how to make a double thick diagonal style pot holder, and I am hooked. I came up with 6 designs, so I thought it would be fun to host a 5 -week crochet-a-long (CAL). Each week, a new pot holder design will be released in the form of a video tutorial on Youtube, a free written pattern on this blog with ads, and an ad-free printable paid PDF on Ravelry. This post tells you everything you need to know about the Pot Holders Galore CAL!

If this sounds like fun to you, please keep reading to learn more about the crochet-a-long!

In 2020, I hosted my first crochet-a-long, and it was a bit of a disaster. Mostly because it was so close to Christmas, and I didn’t know what I was doing. This time around, I have a little more knowledge, and I made a plan for everything! So I hope that I can provide everything you need to make this a fun and successful CAL. It can only go up from here, right?

Important Links:

• Facebook CAL Group
• Join the CAL Email List
• Youtube Channel 
• Fairy Dust Pot Holder – Week 1
• Bake Me a Pie Pot Holder – Week 2
• Ripple Effect Pot Holder – Week 3
• Colorama Pot Holder – Week 4
• Simply Daisy Pot Holder – Week 5 (Option #1)
• Afternoon Tea Pot Holder – Week 5 (Option #2)

What is a Crochet-a-long (CAL)? 

A crochet-a-long (a.k.a. a CAL) is an online event where crocheters come together to make the same pattern or set of patterns within a set period of time. The pattern(s) are released in parts each week, and pattern support is provided. 

How does the Pot Holders Galore CAL work?

• The Pot Holders Galore CAL is a 5 week crochet-a-long that starts on Monday, May 23rd, and ends on Sunday, June 26th.

• Each week, a new pot holder pattern will be available as a complete video tutorial on Youtube, a free written pattern on the blog with ads, and an ad-free printable PDF on Ravelry. 

• On the last week (Week 5), there will be 2 pot holder patterns released, so you can decide if you’d like to make one or both. I couldn’t decide between the two, so I included both pot holders in this crochet-a-long.

Pattern Release Days: 

Participation:

You are welcome to share pictures of anything and everything related to the CAL in the Facebook Group HERE. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we cannot wait to see how you put your unique spin on each pot holder. 

If you prefer to participate on Instagram, please tag me @thispixiecreates or use the hashtag #potholdersgalorecal.

Can I Join in at Different Times?

Of course! This is a very laid-back and relaxed crochet-a-long because each week is a standalone pattern. This means that you can join in at random times, make a pot holder one week, and skip the next week. There is no pressure to complete all 6 patterns, or rush through the week to finish your pot holder. Take your time, and just have fun!

Get Notified when a New Pattern Week has Started: 

• Join the Crochet-a-long email list to get notifications sent to your inbox – HERE! 
• Join the Facebook Group and set your notification settings to see all posts HERE! 
• If you are following along via Youtube, subscribe to my channel to get notified when a new pattern week is uploaded HERE!

Pin the Crochet-a-long for Later – HERE!

Pinning this crochet-a-long to your Pinterest board is a great (and free) way to support this blog. Pinning really makes a difference because it helps get the crochet-a-long circulating, so others can see it too. Thank you for taking the time to pin this crochet-a-long!

Questions?

Questions are welcome at any time in the Facebook Community Group. However, each week I’ll be doing check-in posts on Wednesdays and Fridays to see how everyone is doing. If you don’t feel comfortable asking in the group, you are welcome to send me an email at thispixiecreates@gmail.com. Please specify which week and pattern you are currently having trouble with. I am happy to help! 

Before Asking a Question: 

• Read through this post one more time! 

• Read the pattern notes included with each pattern. 

• If you are following along with the written pattern and you find a certain section confusing, please reference the video tutorial. There are timestamps embedded in the video to help you skip through to the parts that you need. 

• Read through the entire pattern (Materials, Gauge, Customization, Instructions, and Seaming). 

If you cannot find your answer, then please ask! We love questions, and it helps so many people who may have a similar question and are too shy to ask. The best place to ask questions is in the Facebook Community Group, via email (thispixiecreates@gmail.com), or through my Contact page. Please specify which pattern you are asking about. I normally respond within 24 hours. 

Crochet Pattern Difficulty: Intermediate 

This crochet-along is a fun challenge that is geared towards advanced beginners and up. The patterns are considered intermediate because we are working with a few different stitches, working in the round, and learning some new techniques. If you have mastered the chain, single crochet, and half double crochet stitch, then I think you’ll enjoy this CAL.

Crochet Terminology: US Terms

Each pattern is written in US terminology.

Stitches to Master Before Starting the Pot Holders Galore CAL: 

• Chain Stitch
• Single Crochet
• Half Double Crochet 

The Benefits of the Pot Holders Galore CAL: 

• This is a great chance for beginners to learn new stitches and techniques in a fun and encouraging environment.

• Each pot holder is made the same way (in the round and seamed across the diagonal). This means that your seams and finished product will improve each week.

• Each pattern has a stitch repeat, so once you get the hang of the stitch combination and you know where to place each stitch, it’s smooth sailing.

• Pot holders are portable, so you can bring them with you. These projects are great to work on outside!

• Pot holders are practical and make great gifts. Whether you keep them for yourself, or gift them to friends and family, you’ll get a lot of use out of these pot holders.

• Crochet-a-longs are fun. It’s a chance to join a community, ask questions, offer encouragement, and make friends with fellow crochet and yarn lovers.

• Each pot holder takes a couple of hours to make, so they are quick projects!

• These patterns are great for using up scrap yarn because they require 150 yards or less!

• If you have been wanting to learn to read patterns, this is a perfect time to learn. Try following the written patterns each week, and using the videos as back up or reinforcement when you need it.

• 5 weeks is not a long CAL, so there isn’t a big time commitment. If you miss a week, that’s okay! It’s flexible, and you can crochet-along with everyone the next week.

About the Ad-Free Printable PDF on Ravelry: 

• The ad-free PDF is available HERE!
• Throughout the CAL, the printable PDF is $5.00 USD which is $0.83 / pattern. Once the CAL is over, the price will increase to $8.00.  
• Each week, a new pattern will be available for downloading. 
• Once you purchase the pattern, you’ll receive an email when a new update is available to download each week. 
• The ad-free printable PDF is ready to print and use. It includes step-by-step pictures, video tutorial links, and written instructions. 
• At the end of the CAL, all 6 patterns will be combined into one PDF for easy printing and use. 
• Purchasing this pattern helps to support my family and I. Thank you so much!

What Can I Use a Pot Holder For?

Pot holders are practical items that you can use in the kitchen.

• Set a scolding pot/pan/baking sheet/casserole dish on a pot holder to protect your counters and furniture.

• Use them like oven mitts when taking something out of the oven or microwave.

• Use them as a portable placemat. Place a pot holder underneath a hot bowl or plate, so you can carry your food to the table or the couch.

• Use them as a coaster for hot drinks!

Materials Needed: 

• 4.0mm crochet hook
• Scissors
• Yarn Needle
• Stitch Marker or Safety Pin

The materials section contains affiliate links that support the content on ThisPixieCreates. If you make a purchase through one of my affiliate links, I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. Thank you so much for your support! Find more information about affiliate links, as well as my Privacy & Disclosures Policy here.

Yarn Choice: 

• Knit Picks Dishie Yarn, Weight 4 Medium Worsted Yarn (100% Cotton, 190 yd / 174 m, 3.5 oz/ 100 g)

For my pot holders, I chose to use Dishie Yarn from We Crochet / Knit Picks. I bought 10 skeins of this yarn to test out the colours, and fell in love with it. It is a 100% cotton yarn that is soft and durable; the colours are beautiful; it has a tiny sheen to it without being shiny; and the stitch definition is great. You cannot go wrong with this yarn, especially since it is affordable. At $3.49 USD for 1 skein of 190 yards, you get a good bang for your buck. It’s become one of my favourite yarns.

Here are some projects that I’ve made with Dishie Yarn, so you can see how it works up with different stitches and colours:

• Simply Daisy Bookmark
• Three’s Company Face Pads
• Texture Swirl Coasters

Yardage:

*Each pot holder uses less than 1 skein of Dishie yarn!

Colour Choice:

I crocheted my pot holders using a bunch of Dishie colours. This helped me use up my cotton yarn stash, and let me see how each pattern looked in various colours. Below, you’ll find my colour choices for each pot holder!

Fairy Tale Pot Holder – Week 1:

• 100 yds / 91 m needed to make 1 pot holder
• Number of Colours Needed: 1
• Yarn Used: Dishie Cotton
• Colours Used: Blush, Conch, Creme Brulee, and Kenai

Bake me a Pie Pot Holder – Week 2:

• 112 yds / 102 m needed to make 1 pot holder
• Number of Colours Needed: 1
• Yarn Used: Dishie Cotton
• Colours Used: Swan and Linen

Ripple Effect Pot Holder – Week 3:

• 125 yds / 114 m needed to make 1 pot holder
• Number of Colours Needed: 1
• Yarn Used: Dishie Cotton
• Colours Used: Swan

Colorama Pot Holder – Week 4:

• Number of Colours Needed: 2
• 105 yds / 96 m needed to make 1 pot holder
  • Colour A: 52.5 yds / 48 m
  • Colour B: 52.5 yds / 48 m
• Yarn Used: Dishie Cotton
• Colour Cominations Used:
  • Combo #1: Swan and Sunbaked
  • Combo #2: Navy and Begonia

Simply Daisy Pot Holder – Week 5 (Option #1):

• 130 yds / 119 m needed to make 1 pot holder
• Number of Colours Needed: 1
• Yarn Used: Dishie Cotton, Dishie Multi
• Colours Used: Honey Dew and Goldish

Afternoon Tea Pot Holder – Week 5 (Option # 2):

• 170 yds / 155 m needed to make 1 pot holder
• Number of Colours Needed: 1
• Yarn Used: Dishie Cotton
• Colours Used: Linen

Alternative Yarn Options: 

Here are a few soft, durable, and easy to work with, cotton yarn alternatives: 

• Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton: Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton Yarn is a mercerized cotton that is soft on your hands, and has a nice sheen to it. The collection has 37 colours to choose from, so I hope you find one that speaks to you. 
• I Love this Cotton Yarn: This yarn can be found exclusively at Hobby Lobby and has 71 colours to choose from! It works great for garments, and home decor items.
• Bernat Handicrafter Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter is another great medium 4 cotton alternative. It comes in 26 solid colour options, and a few variegated colours too.

Any medium 4 Worsted / Aran Weight Cotton Yarn can be used for these patterns. 

What about Lilly Sugar n’ Creme? 

If you have this yarn on hand, please give it a try. However, if it hurts your hands, or you find it hard to work the stitches, I recommend using a softer and more flexible cotton yarn. The potholders are designed to be double thick, so they will be sturdy and durable on their own, and the patterns are much easier to crochet when working with a softer yarn. 

Can I Use Acrylic Yarn or Any Other Material Besides Cotton? 

Since pot holders are going to be exposed to a lot of heat, using 100% cotton yarn is the safest material to use. 100% Wool is also a great alternative because it is heat resistant. However, acrylic and other fibers melt under excessive heat. So when a hot pan is placed on them, the heat will cause the pot holder to melt, the stitches to clump together, and chemicals to be released into the air.

Care Instructions: 

• Before cutting off the yarn tails, PLEASE weave in your ends. By weaving in your ends securely, you can ensure that your pot holders will hold up over time, and won’t unravel in the wash. 
• Wash pot holders with your towels and sheets in cold water.
• Use the delicate cycle.
• Lay flat and let them air dry, or tumble dry on low heat.

Pot Holder Construction:

Each pot holder is crocheted in the round to make a little pouch, then folded and seamed together on a diagonal to create a square or rectangle. This method creates a “double-thick” style pot holder that is perfect for using in the kitchen.

Free Ways to Support the Pot Holders Galore CAL:

• “Pin” the Crochet-a-long pin below to your Pinterest board. This really helps to get the crochet-a-long circulating, so that other crocheters can see it too.

• “Favorite” the Crochet-a-long on Ravelry!

• If you watch the video tutorials, please give them a “like” if you enjoy them.

• Share this post or news about the crochet-a-long with others.

• If you share a picture of something you made from my pattern, please include a link back to the blog post, so other crocheters can make it too.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do some or all of these things. It really makes a difference, and I appreciate it more than you know.

Intro Video for the Pot Holders Galore CAL:

This video goes over the important points covered in this introduction post!

I hope you guys are excited to make some pot holders! I can’t wait to start crocheting with you on Monday! Have a wonderful rest of your week, and happy crocheting.

Love, Dayna